Collapsible metal box



April 24-, 1951 J. T. sAYER COLLAPSIBLE METAL BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledOct. 28, 1948 //VVE/YTO/5i JOHN T SHYER April 24, 1951 J. T. SAYERCOLLAPSIBLE METAL BOX 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 28, 1948 I l I I I I Il l I I I I I I I I I l I April 24, 1951 J. T. SAYER COLLAPSIBLE METALBOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed 001;. 28, 1948 NINE/V701? XOHN TSHYER- 3mm WPatented Apr. 24, 1951 COLLAPSIBLE METAL BOX John Thomas Sayer, Ifield,England, assignor to Sayers Metal Products Limited, London, EnglandApplication October 28, 1948, Serial No. 56,950 In Great BritainNovember 10, 1947 4 Claims.

This invention relates to collapsible metal boxes, usually of sheetmetal, of the kind in which the four sides of the box are interhingedand the bottom is pivotally connected to, and can be folded upwardsagainst, one of the sides, and pairs of adjoining sides can be collapsedtogether, the box passing from a rectangular configuration, through alozenge configuration, into a flat condition.

The object of the invention is so to connect the bottom of the boxpivotally to the respective side of the box, that when the bottom isfolded up Wards Within the box, such folded-up bottom does not obstructthe box collapsing into a flat condition.

According to this invention the above object is achieved, in acollapsible metal box having interhinged sides and a bottom which isfoldable upwardly within the box, by the hinge structure between thebottom and a side wall of the container. This hinge structure comprisestongues extending from a border of the bottom through elongatedhorizontally disposed slots adjacent the bottom edge of such side wall,which tongues are secured to an external horizontal rod, each horizontalslot extending, in at least one direction, sufliciently beyond the widthof the tongue extending therethrough, as to permit lateral displacementof the bottom clear of the hinge of such side to the side of the boxfolding thereagainst when the box is collapsed. Such side, in folding,pushes the bottom to slide sideways to be clear of the hinge, whereasthe opposite side, on unfolding, pushes the bottom back into a centralposition in the box.

In order that the box can be collapsed in either direction to bringalternative sides against the folded-up bottom, the transverse slotsthrough which the tongues of the bottom extend, preferably extend inboth directions beyond the widths of the tongues.

The bottom of the box when turned down, is supported on lugs protrudinginwardly from the other three sides of the box to which the bottom isnot pivotally connected. Transverse slots are provided in the sides intowhich these lugs enter when the box is collapsed into the fiatcondition.

The box is usually composed of sheet metal, but the components thereofmay be metal castmgs.

The lugs may be formed by bending inwards a portion of the sheet metalout to form each slot, the remainder of the sheet metal cut to form theslot being removed to provide clearance 2 for the entry of a lug of anopposite side when the box is collapsed flat. I

A collapsible metal box, constructed in ac-' cordance with theinvention, is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the box uncollapsed and with twosides partly broken away to expose the bottom to view.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the box in the uncollapsed condition.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the box collapsed with the lid partlybroken away, and

Fig. 4 is a corresponding plan.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional perspective view,

Fig. 6 is a corresponding vertical section and Fig. 7 is a correspondinginverted plan, showing a latch bolt holding down the bottom.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative detail.

The box is composed of sheet metal.

The four sides a, b, c, d, Fig. 4, of the box are interhinged so thatpairs of sides can be collapsed together, the box passing from therectangular configuration shown in Fig. 1, through a lozengeconfiguration (not shown), into the flat condition shown in Figs. 3 andl.

The hinges are formed by notching and bending the adjoining borders ofthe sides to form hinge sleeves e embracing hinge pins 1, F g. 4

g is the bottom of the box. The bottom g is pivotally connected to theside a, so as to be capable of being alternatively folded up within thebox against the side a, as shown in Figs. 3 and l, or folded down so asto hold the sides a, b, c, d apart when unfolded to impart a rectangularconfiguration to the box, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The bottom g is pivotally connected to the side a by tongues 71. on thebottom 9, which extend through transverse slots i in the side a, andwhich, outside the box, are bent to form sleeves a which embrace and areclinched around the ends of an external transverse rod k, Figs. 1

and 3.

a The external transverse rod preferably, as shown, does not extendbeyond the tongues h. Instead of a single rod lc, each tongue It mayembrace a separate short rod or pin to constitute a T head on the endthereof. The sides of the box can be folded flat either as shown inFigs. 3 and 4, or in the reverse direction.

The slots i in the side a through which the 3 I tongues h of the bottomg extend, extend on both sides of the tongues h sufiiciently beyond thewidth of the tongues h to permit the bottom g of the box to be displacedsideways by the side b or the side (1 folding against the upturnedbottom 9, and so to be clear of the hinge of such side to the side a.When the sidesare unfolded to impart the rectangular configuration tothe box, the opposite side (1 or b in unfolding thrusts; the bottom gback into its central position.

When down, the bottom g rests on lugs Lprotruding inwardly from thesides I), c, d.

These lugs Z are formed by bending part. ofthemetal cut to formtransverse slots m in the sides I), c, d. These slots m are so mutuallypositioned and are of a length extending'beyond the widthof the lugsbent therefrom, as to receive thelugs Z of opposed sides when foldedthereagainst.

The lugs l of a side b or d folded against the side or enter the slots-ithereof.

The lugs may alternatively be formed by pieces of sheet metal l bent to:L- cross section and riveted on the respectivesidesas shown in FigLS.

Flat sliding latch bolts n entering the slots m in the sides b, c, d,and operated from the underside of the bottom g, are provided on theunderside ofthe bottom g, to hold the bottom down.

prising tongues on one edge of said bottom and ois'a- 11a hinged tothe-top of the side a, the I hinge being formed in the same manner asthe would project beyond the sides of the box when the box is collapsed,thebottomand lid may each be formed by two-flaps, respectively pivotallyconnected and hinged toopposite sides of the box.

I claim: f

1'. In a collapsible box, vertical side wallsofv said box formed withelongated horizontally disposedslots adjacent their bottom edges andhinged together at their vertical edges, a bot-' tomof said boxfoldable: upwardly within said box about hinge elements disposed betweenone edge of said bottom and a bottom edge of one of the said side Walls,said bottom hinge elements comprising tongues on one edge of said bottomand extending through-said slots in: said side wall, each said slot insaid side Wall extending in at least one direction beyond. the width ofthe tongue extendingtherethrough, and a transverse rodexternal tosaidbox and secured to each said;v

extending through said slots in said side wall, each said slot in saidside wall extending in both directions beyond the width of the tongueextending therethrough, and a transverse rod external to said box andsecured toeach said tongue, and lugs protruding inwardly from the threeother side walls adjacent their bottom edges at the level of said slots.

3. In a collapsible metal box, vertical side walls of said box formedWith horizontally disposed slots adjacent their bottomedges and hingedtogether at their vertical edges, a bottom of said box foldable upwardlywithin said box about hinge elements disposedbetween one edge of saidbottom and a bottom edge of one of said side Walls, said said bottomhinge elements comprising tongues on one edge of said bottom andextending through said elongated horizontally disposed slots in saidside wall, each said slot in said side wallextending in atv least onedirection beyond the width of the tongue extending therethrough, and atransverse rod external to said box and secured toeach said tongue, andlugs=protruding inwardly from the three other side walls adjacent theirbottom edges and consisting of inwardly bent portions of the metal outto form saidslotsthere: in of less width than offset relatively'to' saidslots.

Fl, In acollapsible metalbox, vertical side walls of said box formedwithhorizontally disposed slots adjacent their bottom edges and hingedtogether at their vertical edges, a bottom of said boxfoldable upwardlywithin said box abouthinge elements disposed between one edge'of. saidbottom and a bottom edgeof one of saidside walls, said bottom hingeelements comprising tongues on one edge of'saidbottom and extendingthrough said elongated horizontally disposed slots in said side wall,each said slot in said: side wall: extending in both directions beyondthe 1y from the three'other side walls adjacent their hingedtogetherattheir vertical edges, a bottom 50 of said box foldabler upwardlywithin said box about hinge elements disposed between one edge ofsaid'bottom and a bottom edge of one of the said side walls, said bottomhingeelements come.

' Number Name Date 1,038,816 Arnold Sept. 17,1912" 1,374,602 Panek Apr.12, 1921 1,620,585 Walther Mar; 8, 1927 2,367,205 I Cowen Jan. 16, 1945FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date bottom edges and consisting of:inwardly bent portions of the metal cut to form said slots-therein ofless Width than and offset relatively to said slots.

JOHN THOMAS SAYER.

REFERENCES CITED- The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS 177,430 Canada June 5,1917,

